Chirakkal, Kannur

Chirakkal is a census town in Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. It is 7 km from Kannur town.According Indian census, Chirakkal has a population of 43,290. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Chirakkal has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 85% and female literacy of 82%. Eleven percent of the population is under 6 years of age.HistoryThe Kovilakam of Kolathiris were in Chirakkal a place near to Kannur famous as the seat of the Kolathiris. Kolathiri were also known as Chirakkal Raja or King of Chirakkal. The southern branch of this family ruled over Venad and is today known as the Travancore Royal Family.Kolathiris are the successors of Mooshiks Kings who ruled northern Kerala in the first century AD. The detailed history of this dynasty and hidden history of this region is mentioned in the "Mooshika Vamsham" a Sanskrit poetic text, written by Athulan in the tenth century AD. Mooshika Vamsham is believed to be one of the earliest Sanskrit books written based on the history of northern Kerala.Kolathiris were political and commercial rivals of the Samoothiris of Kozhikode.Bekal Fort now in Kasaragod and Chandragiri Fort were originally under the Chirakkal Rajas until the time of Shivappa Naik's invasion of Kolathunadu Nowadays the recognition of the Chirakkal Raja is widely regarded by the folk artists, especially the Theyyam artists. The most gifted among them receive 'pattum valayum' from the Chirakkal Raja as recognition.